Motor vehicle



5min@ 3Q, EQS g'? E. H. EELDEN MOTOR VEHICLE Filed Nov. 22, 920 2 Sheets-Sheet l H. EELEN MGFOR VEHICLE 2 Sheets-$hee Filed NOV. 22, 1920 INVENTOR. ifmf'a/ mmf JE? Patented June 30, 1 925.v

UNITED STATES EDWARD H. BELpEN, or froLEDo, omo, essrolgon' :comme wrnnrsovnnnnim corro AinaNY, or ToLnDo, omo, A conroae'rron or oHIo.

Moron VEHICLE.

Application filed November 22, 1920. Serial No. 425,893.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. BELDEN, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain 5 new and useful Improvements in Motor Vehicles, of which I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to motor vehicles and has for its object to provide improved means for suspending the fuel tank and bracing the bod of the automobile, together' with means or supporting the windshield upon the body, the present embodiment constituting an -improvement over my copending aplication tiled AugustvQt', 1920 and bearing -gerial NumberlOJS?.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined windshieldV support and brace or tie between the dash and door post of the vehicle body ywhereby a' saving in a number of parts and a consequent saving in cost of manufacture is afforded Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for bracing or tying the windshield brackets together.

Other improvements'include the manner of mounting the fuel tank to permit it to be readily removed Without requiring the dis connecting of a number of more or lessinaccessible parts.. l

With these and other objects in View, the

invention contemplates any and all forms of construction and arrangement ot parts in keeping with the spirit of the invention as expressed in the appended claims, which may be found desirable to use under varying conditions from time to, time.

gnzstructure constituting one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accomv 40 panyings, in which:

Figure I is a transverse section/'through the body of the car, looking forward from the drivers seat, showing the instrument board, the fuel tank, windshield supports and other parts constituting a portion of the body structure. y

igure 'II is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken longitudinally through the fuel tank and supporting structure therefor.

Figure III is a fragmentary side elevation, certain parts being broken away` and others shown in section to more clearly illustrate the mounting of the fuel tank and windshield brackets between the side door posts and the dash.

Figure IV is a fragmentary plan, partly in section, illustrating a portion of the'fuel tank and one of the supports therefor, together with the manner of mounting the windshield brackets between the dash and the side door posts, and;

Figure V is a detailed section taken on linel V-V- of Figure III.

Similar reference characters refer to simi-- lar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

The structure illustrated in the drawings' titi in Figure III. The rear end of the cowl at y the sides `thereof is preferably turned inwardly to enga e the inner faces ,0f the door .posts 14 as in icated at 18 in Figure IV.

Connecting thev dash 1f? and door posts 11i are, the windshield brackets 19 having at their forward ends the 'downturned portions 2O which lare disposed upon the rear face of' the dash and suitably connected therewith as by means of the rivets 21. The Windshield brackets, at their rear ends, are provided With downwardly extending angular portions 22 provided'wlth enlarged portions 23 disposed Within the channeled door posts 14 as shown in Figures III and IV, said enlarged portions being provided with oppositely extending plate portions 24; secured upon the door posts by any suitable means. The enlarged portions 23 of the bracketsare provided with recesses .25 through which. enh tend the pins 26.adapted to receive the side door hinges 27 which preferably extend through slots 28 in the door posts and are suitably connected with the door 29v as indi cated in Figure V. The windshield brackets 19 are provided with sockets 30 adapted to receive the Windshield posts 31 upon which 1smounted the Windshield 32 as shown in Figure I. The windshield brackets are provided at points adjacent the sockets 30 with inwardly extending lugs or projectiene. 35. with. which is suitably connected a ltransuerte tie Sel serving to brace or tie the Windsliieldlbrackets together, hereby bracir f the windshield posts as well as forming tie between the side door posts und. rear 'side portions ot the cowl.

, 4'thc dash i7 is provided at its opposite' endsfwitb downwardly extending leve l ,i r j which are suitabliyoconnocted with the aine structure ofthe vehicle at the sides thereof. Ik central opening is ltermed 1n the dash and surrounded by a rearwardly extending tlanged portion 36 carrying a. ring 37 of ielt.

nieans of bolt Ll-l, while the brackets a0 are secured thereto by means of bolts '42 which pneterably extend through the lower ends'o'lf the downwardly extending portions 20 of the windshield brackets 19. lhe bracket 39 is provided With an opstanding `llange dit with which ris connected a brace rod elfi extending to the top or the radiator (not shown) whereby the tank andl radiator are securely tied together. 'lhe tank may be .readily removed from the dash by disconnetting,l the brace rod fill and unscrcwing the nuts on the bolts il and 42, after which it maybe Withdrawn from the dash by sliding it forwardly therefrom. The tank is preferably tapered towards the rear end and is inclined upwardly as shown in Figure lll so that the forward end is considerably lower than the rear end. The center of gravity ot the tank when substantially filled will fall at a point adjacent the dash, Wherebv' it is more perfectly balanced and the dash thereby relieved of excessive strains and stresses. The tank is provided 1n front of the dash and at one side of the bracket -39 with a filling nozzle l5 which ie disposed immediately under the hood 46 as shown in f Figuie all.

ilzntendingi centrallyA through the tank lonoitudinally of the vehicle, are the upper when( lower reinforcing' plates 47 and 48 reepectiveiy, which serve as baihes for the liquid and which are preferably spaced apart as indicated at 49 to permit the fuel to lpass freely from. one side of the tank to the other. '.lhe bailies are provided with a plurality ot openings 50 which also serve to permit the fuel to pass from one compartment to tbe other,

While l have shown and described in considerabl'e detail a specific 4embodiment' ot my inrentin, it is tov be understood thatetbe procent showing and description is illustrativelonly, and that li do not regard the invention as limited to the details of construe tion illustrated and described7 norany of a frame structure including a dash. and side door poste, brackets extending from the dash to the side door posts and connecting the same, Windshield supports carried by said`r brackets, a tie connecting said brackets, and

o fuel tank supported by said dash.

2. ln a motor vehicle, the combination of a trame structure including a dash and side door iosts, brackets connecting the dash and side oor posts, a tie connectingfsaid brackets, and a tank carried by said dash.

3. In a inotorvehicle, the combination of a frame structure, includingr a cowl, a trans vversc plate member and upright frame Inombers spaced therefrom, members within the cowl connecting said transverse' plate mem ber and said upright members, and a tank projecting through and supported entirely by said transverse plate member.

4. ln a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame structure including a transverse plate, a fuel tank projectingbr through said plate, and a three-point Suspension' vfor the tank carried by the plate. i

5. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a dash, a fuel tank projecting therethrough, a pair ot brackets secured, upon the tank at the opposite sides thereof and' connected with the dash, and a third bracket secured upon the top of the tank'and connected with tlie` dash.

6. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame structure includin a dash, a fuel tank projecting through tie dash, a plurality of supportingbrackets connected with the tank in front of the dash, vand means removably' connecting said brackets with'said dash. 4- l 7. ln a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame structure including a dash, al fuel tank projecting through said dash, a plu 9. In a motor vehicle, the wmbination of a frame structure 'including a dash, a fuel tank projecting through the dash, a plurality of brackets connected with the tank in front of the dash, me ns connecting said brackets with the dasl, and a yieldable member carried by the dash and surrounding the tank.

10. In a. motor vehicle, the combination of, a frame structure includingr a dash, a fuel tank projecting through the dash, and

`means disposed entirely in t'ront ot' the dash for supporting said tank.

1l. In 'a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame struc-ture including a, dash, a tank Aprojtaftii'ig through the dash, means disposedentirely in front ot' the dash t'or supporting said tank, and a brace member extending forwardly from the tank.

12. ln a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame structure iln-fluding a dash, a fuel tankprojccting through the dash. a plurality of supports for the tank disposed in front of the dash and removably connected therewith, and braces extending rearwardly from the dash on opposite sides of the tank and connected with said frame structure.

t3. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame lstructure including a dash. a fuel tank projecting through the dash. a plurality of supports for the tank disposed in fron-t of an connected with the dash, a ha -c extending forwardly from one ot' sail;` nimporte. and a pair of braces extendinar rearwardly from the dash on opposite idee of thc tank.

le?. in a motor vehicle, the combination of a' frame structure including a dash and side door posts, a pair of braces extendin rcarwardl from the dash and connecte with Sailly posts, a fuel tank projecting through the dash between said braces, and

.three supporting members for the tank disjmsed in t'ront ot' the dash and connected therewith.

15. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame structure including a dash, a tank projecting through the dash, supports t'or the tank extending laterally from the dash and independently connected therewith, and means independent of the tank adapted to brace the dash intermediate its ends.

16. ln aanotor vehicle, the combination' of a frame structure including a dash, a tank projecting through the dash, and supports connected with the tank and removably connected with the dash .whereby the tank and supports are removable as a unit.

17. ln a motor -vehicle, the combination ot' a frame structure including a dash, a tank projecting through the dash, a bracket secured to the tank, and a brace for the tank extending from the bracket.

18. In a motor vehicle, the combination ot a frame structure including a dash 4having an opening therein and a flange around said ojxening, a tank projecting through the opening in spaced relation to the flange, a strip carried by the flange and yieldingly engaging the tank, and means connecting the tank with the dash.

ln testimony whereof, l alx my signature.

EDWARD H. HELDEN. 

